Cayce, SC (Paul Kirby) – The Cayce Department of Public Safety is helping to spread a warning from The SC Department of Consumer Affairs regarding scams that happen at this time of the year. The department did this so that citizens in Cayce and the remainder of the county will be aware that there are some crooks and scammers out there that are willing to take advantage of people even during the most wonderful time of the year.
According to the SC Department of Consumer Affairs, some people may call and ask you to pay in prepaid debit cards, gift cards, wire or bank transfer. Prepaid debit and gift cards are used like cash. Once in the hands of a fraudster, the money is gone and nearly impossible to trace. The same goes for a wire or bank transfer.
Someone could ask you to verify personal information. Scammers love cash but your private information is just as valuable. Whether it’s an email, over the phone or text message, never give any private information to a cold-caller. This approach is common with fake shipping notifications, delivery and tech scams.
Others may ask for donations to a charity. You may be feeling more generous around the holidays and scammers create fake charities to take your hard-earned money. Before donating, go to the SC Secretary of State’s website to see if the charity is registered or call 1 (888) CHARITI (242-7484).
If someone makes an offer that seems “too good to be true,” it probably is. If you are shopping on a third-party site or receive an email/text with an incredible deal for a hot holiday product or a gift exchange, chances are it isn’t real. Always do research by looking at reviews and checking other retailers for price comparisons. Selling something? Be wary of a scammer sending you a check for more than they owe, asking you to deposit it and return the extra cash.
To report a scam or for more information on defending against scams call our Identity Theft Unit at 1(844) TELL DCA (835-5322) or visit consumer.sc.gov and click the Identity Theft Unit tab
